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NOMINATING CAMPAIGNS
Objectives:• Describe the role of campaign strategy in winning a nomination to
elective office
Bell Ringer:Sidney Blumenthal called the American electoral process “the
permanent campaign.” In your own words, please explain what he meant by this.
Agenda:Nomination processCampaign advertising
Homework: Chapter 8 Overview
NOMINATING CAMPAIGNSObjectives:• Describe the role of campaign strategy in winning a nomination to elective
office• Evaluate the effectiveness and impact of presidential campaign
advertisements
Bell Ringer:You Be the Policymaker: National and Regional Presidential Primary
Proposals
Agenda:Nomination processCampaign advertising
Homework: Chapter 8 Overview Chapter 8 Reading Quiz next class “A Killer Question” reading and
handout due 12/8 (A) and 12/9 (B)
The Nomination GameNomination
The official endorsement of a candidate for office by a political party
Generally, success requires momentum, money, and media attention.
Campaign StrategyThe master game plan
candidates lay out to guide their electoral campaign George W. and Laura Bush at the 2000
Republican Convention
The Nomination GameDeciding to Run
Campaigns are more physically and emotionally taxing than ever.
American campaigns are much longer.Barack Obama made clear
his intention to run for POTUS in January 2007.
Other countries have short campaigns, most less than two months.
The Nomination GameCompeting for Delegates
Elimination contestGoal is to win a majority of
delegates’ support at the national party convention, or the supreme power within each of the partiesConvention every four years to
nominate the party’s POTUS and VP candidates.
Conventions are but a formality today.
The Nomination GameCompeting for Delegates
The Caucus RoadCaucus: meetings of state party leaders to select delegates
to the national conventionOrganized like a pyramid from local precincts to the state’s
conventionA handful of states use a caucus—open to all voters who are
registered with a partyThe Iowa caucus is first and most important.
The Nomination GameCompeting for Delegates
The Primary RoadPrimary: elections in which voters in a state vote for
a nominee (or delegates pledged to the nominee) Began at turn of 20th century by progressive reformers McGovern-Fraser Commission led to selection of
delegates through primary elections Most delegates are chosen through primaries. Superdelegates: democratic leaders who automatically
get a delegate slotFrontloading is the tendency of states to hold
primaries early to capitalize on media attention. New Hampshire is first.
Generally primaries serve as elimination contests.
The Nomination GameCompeting for Delegates
Evaluating the Primary and Caucus SystemDisproportionate attention to early onesProminent politicians do not run.Money plays too big a role.Low participation in primaries and caucuses; 20 percent
vote in primaries.The system gives too much power to the media.
The Nomination GameSuggested modifications to the caucus and primary system:
•National primaries: a nationwide primary held early in the election year.
•Regional primaries: a series of primaries held in each geographic region.
The Nomination GameThe Convention Send-off
National conventions once provided great drama, but now are a formality, which means less TV time.
Significant rallying point for partiesKey note speaker on first day of ConventionParty platform: statement of a party’s
goals/policies for next four yearsDebated on the second day of the Convention
Formal nomination of POTUS & VP candidates on 3rd & 4th days
NOMINATING CAMPAIGNSObjectives:• Evaluate the effectiveness and impact of presidential campaign
advertisements• Examine the growth of PACs and their impact on modern campaigning• Assess the crucial role of money in American campaign organizations
Bell Ringer:Last class you watched a number of presidential campaign
commercials. Which ad did you find to be the most effective? Which was the most
ineffective? For each describe the ad, the advertising methods/tactics, and talk about
why the ad did or did not work.
Agenda:Campaign advertisingCampaign finance
Homework: A Killer Question: article and questions Campaign Finance Reform/527 article Test on Thursday, March 8th
The Campaign GameThe High-Tech Media Campaign
Direct mail used to generate support and money for the candidate
Get media attention through ad budget and “free” coverage
Emphasis on “marketing” a candidateNews stories focus more on the “horse
race” than substantive policy issues
The Campaign GameOrganizing the Campaign
Get a campaign managerGet a fund-raiser and campaign counselHire media and campaign consultantsAssemble staff and plan logisticsGet research staff, policy advisors, and
pollstersGet a good press secretaryEstablish a website
Money and CampaigningThe Maze of Campaign Finance Reforms
Federal Election Campaign Act (1974)Created the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to
administer campaign finance laws for federal electionsCreated the Presidential Election Campaign FundProvided partial public financing for presidential primaries
Matching funds: Contributions of up to $250 are matched for candidates who meet conditions, such as limiting spending.
Provided full public financing for major party candidates in the general election
Required full disclosure and limited contributions
Money and CampaigningThe Maze of Campaign Finance Reforms
Soft Money: political contributions (not subject to contribution limits) earmarked for party-building expenses or generic party advertising
The McCain-Feingold Act (2002) banned soft money, increased amount of individual contributions, and limited “issue ads.”
527s: independent groups that seek to influence political process but are not subject to contribution restricts because they do not directly seek election of particular candidates
Money and CampaigningThe Proliferation of PACs
Political Action Committees (PACs): created by law in 1974 to allow corporations, labor unions and other interest groups to donate money to campaigns; PACs are registered with and monitored by the FEC.
As of 2006 there were 4,217 PACs.PACs contributed over $372.1 million to
congressional candidates in 2006.PACs donate to candidates who support their issue.PACs do not “buy” candidates, but give to
candidates who support them in the first place.
Money and CampaigningAre Campaigns Too Expensive?
Fundraising takes a lot of time.Incumbents do worse when they spend more
money because they need to spend to defeat quality challengers.
The doctrine of sufficiency suggests that candidates need just “enough” money to win, not necessarily “more.”
The Impact of CampaignsCampaigns have three
effects on voters:Reinforcement,
Activation, ConversionSeveral factors weaken
campaigns’ impact on voters:Selective perception: pay
most attention to things we agree with
Party identification still influence voting behavior
Incumbents begin with sizeable advantage
Understanding Nominationsand CampaignsAre Nominations and Campaigns Too
Democratic?Campaigns are open to almost everyone.Campaigns consume much time and money.Campaigns promote individualism in American
politics.Do Big Campaigns Lead to an Increased
Scope of Government?Candidates make numerous promises,
especially to state and local interests.Hard for politicians to promise to cut size of
government